Answer: Python Puzzler #2625

The answer is D. The program prints:

grape

This answer was checked by running the program for real.

Why?

A negative position counts from the end: -1 is the last item, -2 the one before it. So -4 means item number 4 from the end.

Trace table

A trace table follows the program step by step. Here’s this one:

positionnegative positionitem
0-6mango
1-5plum
2-4grape
3-3apple
4-2melon
5-1banana

The code again

basket = ["mango", "plum", "grape", "apple", "melon", "banana"]
print(basket[-4])

Try it: change one number in the program and predict the new output before you run it.